The best of the best of Hawaii’s best

We live in a nation that loves lists. Not necessarily to-do lists, but lists of the best of whatever.

Each Sunday we get the latest list of the top grossing movies of the weekend. Every sport has a list of the top (best) teams. The best players make it to an all-star game. The best teams make it to the playoffs.

Hawaii has plenty of best lists. Island beaches show up on best beaches lists with regularity. Island resorts and hotels make the list of best resorts and hotels.

Local publications produce annual lists of best restaurants. We like to eat at places that are considered the best. Honolulu Weekly showcases the Best of Honolulu each year. Best night life. Best restaurants. Best places to do whatever.

Honolulu Magazine ran a feature last year on the Best Lawyers in Hawaii, including the best in a variety of lawyerly specialties. As you would expect with any list of lawyers, the list was suspect. After all, the magazine was loaded with advertisements. Ads from lawyers.

We love best of lists. Best restaurants, best homes, best cars, best career opportunities, best schools, best teams, best books, best music, best television shows, best movies. New to the best of lists in recent years are cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists. How long will it be before we have a published list of Hawaii’s best psychiatrists, or best surgeons, or best podiatrists, or best chiropractors?

What about bus drivers? Wouldn’t you rather ride a bus driven by one of Hawaii’s best bus drivers? Or, be stopped and given a ticket by one of Honolulu’s best police officers?